CPI, Trinamool Congress, NCP defend 'national party' status before EC, seek opportunity to improve electoral performance

New Delhi: The Communist Party of India (CPI), TMC (Trinamool Congress) and the NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) on Monday urged the Election Commission not to take away their national party status, saying they should be given a fresh opportunity to improve their electoral performance. The three parties told the commission that they are old parties and have played a key role in national politics. Hence, their status should not be based on recent electoral performance only. The parties had appeared before the commission for a personal hearing on Monday. [caption id=“attachment_5171781” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of the Election Commission of India. Courtesy: News18[/caption] Earlier, responding to a show cause notice, the three had told the poll panel that their national party status should not be revoked based on their performance in the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. The Election Commission had earlier issued them the notices following the Lok Sabha election. The CPI is learnt to have said that after the Congress, it is the oldest party in the country which had been the principal Opposition party in Lok Sabha. The Left party said though it may not have fared well in the recent Lok Sabha election, it has been in power in several states and has played a key role in strengthening the Constitution. The TMC is learnt to have said that it was given national party status in 2014 and it should be allowed to continue with it at least till 2024. The CPI, BSP and the NCP were facing the prospect of losing their national party status after their dismal performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections as well. However, they got a reprieve when in 2016 the EC amended its rules, whereby national and state party status of political parties are to be reviewed every 10 years instead of five. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which won 10 Lok Sabha in the last parliament polls, and some Assembly seats, does not face the possibility of losing its national party status now. According to the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, a political party can be recognised as a national party if its candidates secure at least six percent of votes polled in four or more states in Lok Sabha or Assembly elections, and, in addition, it has at least four members in Lok Sabha. As of now, the Indian National Congress (INC), BJP, BSP, CPI, Communist Party of India (Marxist), TMC, NCP and the National People’s Party of Meghalaya have national party status.